Wednesday, 4 November, 2020
America votes as the world holds its breath; the whale that saved a train; it’s State of Origin time; and Baby Shark strikes again.
LINKS
Whale tale catches train: https://apnews.com/article/dutch-whale-tail-sculpture-catches-train-de0577175ba65260b4bd0923bf7b4a08
Vote for Squiz Kids in the Australian Podcast Awards: https://australianpodcastawards.com/vote
Squiz Kids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squizkids/?hl=en
Got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out? Send us an email at [email protected]
Squiz Kids is proudly supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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It’s the story you are going to hear a lot about today – a story so big that most every country in the world will be watching to see how it unfolds. And by early afternoon today – we should have a fair idea of who has won the US Presidential Election. In the red corner is US President Donald Trump representing the Republican Party. And in the blue corner is the Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Trump is aiming for a second term in the White House while for Biden, it’s the first time he’s gone for prez, and the polls show he’s in front. But there are lots of people predicting things could get tense. So tense, that shops and businesses in cities like New York and Washington were yesterday boarding up their windows worried that there could be violent protests in the street.
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And the winner was …. Twilight Payment …
At a crowdless-Flemington racetrack in Melbourne yesterday, Aussie jockey Nye McNeill rode a horse called Twilig ht Payment to victory in the race that stops a nation. It was the first time 25 yo Nye had ridden in the Melbourne Cup .. talk about a debut to remember.
The race’s only female jockey, Jamie Kah came in third on her steed, Prince of Arran – after making an heroic late dash for the finish line.
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops.
And today – we’ve landed in the Netherlands – where a whale’s tail has saved a train from falling to earth.
What the what?
A metro train in the suburbs of Rotterdam was running on an elevated track when it crashed through a barrier at the end of the line. Instead of falling to the ground – and potentially causing serious injury to the driver – the train was caught by a huge sculpture of a whale’s tail, which just happened to be at the end of the track.
The driver walked away unharmed and the train carriage balanced precariously on the sculpture for hours as police and emergency services tried to work out how to get it down.
The artist who created the sculpture said he was surprised the tail was strong enough to hold up a train.
And yes, of course, there’s a link in today’s episode notes to a photo of the incredible stroke of luck.
POP CULTURE CORNER
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It was the song that got into your head and refused to leave. The simple ditty about a Baby Shark and its family that became a worldwide sensation three years ago when it was first released. Loved and hated in equal measure by people all over the world. And now, Baby Shark has overtaken Despacito as the most viewed video on YouTube.
Having just clocked up an amazing 7.04 billion views – that’s billion with a B – Baby Shark has overtaken the number of Youtube views of the video for the 2019 hit Latin song Despacito – which is currently sitting at a measly 7.03 billion views.
Ay caramba.
And please accept my most sincere apologies .. as that song will now be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.
SPORTS TIME
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Squiz Kids in Adelaide … do not be alarmed! If there are people roaming your streets wearing maroon or blue jerseys, waving flags and muttering about a sport that makes no sense to you – it’s all perfectly normal.
The State of Origin kicks off tonight in your fair city, Adelaidians, for the first time ever – and it’s the first match in a three match series in the greatest sporting clash on the Australian rugby league calendar.
And yes, we know you are a devoted bunch of AFL lovers down there. And yes, we know the words dummy-half, play-the-ball and six-to-go mean absolutely nothing to you – but just do your best to get involved.
If you want to sound knowledgeable on the subject: NSW are the blue team and are favourites to win – and if they win this series, it will be their third in a row; Queensland is the maroon team and it’s full of rookies – which means lots of the Queensland team have never played Origin before. It’s a best of three situation – with the next two games being played in Sydney and Brisbane. Game on!
VOTE 1 SQUIZ KIDS
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Did we mention that Squiz Kids has made the finals of the Australian Podcast Awards? Oh, I did? Well, it’s so exciting that it’s worth mentioning again … as is the fact that if we manage to get enough of you to go online and vote, we’ll come home with the trophy. And all of you Squiz Kids deserve a trophy, don’t you think? Jump online at australianpodcastawards.com/vote — do it for me. Go on. I;ll be your best friend.
https://australianpodcastawards.com/vote
Voting Closes 18 Nov
THE S’QUIZ
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This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- In which country did a whale tail save a train?
- In which Australian city is tonight’s State of Origin being played?
- Name the song that’s just broken the YouTube record for number of views?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s November 4 … Tonga’s National Day … plus, on this day 19 years ago, the first Harry Potter film was released in cinemas. Wow. That just made me feel old …
It’s also only 51 sleeps ‘til Christmas … start roasting those chestnuts …
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today … Arush from Concord West, Olivia from Silverdale, Kane from Redlynch, Audrey from Artarmon, Elizabeth and Lillian from Queensland, Hugo from Collaroy, Luke from Abbotsford, Arin from Parramatta, Piper from Wahroonga and Summer from Murwillumbah
And some belated birthday shoutouts…. Felix from East Fremantle, Charlotte from Paddington, Taylah from Mereweather and Sam and Brayden from Tumut.
Happy birthday one and all!
Classroom shoutouts… Mr Fox’s Year 2/3 class at St Joseph’s in Gloucester, Class 4-5 and Miss Seidel from Culcairn Public School, class 3C with Mrs Carriage at Shell Cove Public School, 6 Blue at St Joachim’s Primary School in Holland Park, and 4 Blue at Kororo Public School.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- The Netherlands
- Adelaide
- Baby Shark